


Sundrops, Bonnets and Cherries

by Roseredsdesire



Series: The My Heart Series [1]
Category: Riverdale (TV 2017), choni fandom
Genre: F/F, Friendship, choni, prequal to the My Paper Heart series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-25
Updated: 2019-04-25
Packaged: 2020-01-31 18:52:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18597346
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Roseredsdesire/pseuds/Roseredsdesire
Summary: Cheryl and Jason are twins but they couldn't be more different. While one craves love and the other struggles under the expectations of his family's name. It's nice to be a kid and celebrate Easter with something as easy as an Easter Egg Hunt, or so Cheryl thinks. Good thing a certain future Southside Serpent is there to come to her rescue.-Prequal to the First Story in the My Paper Heart Series -





	Sundrops, Bonnets and Cherries

**Author's Note:**

> Authors Note : Well I think I delivered the #Choni feels hehe. The story picks up in My Paper Heart. 💕🍒♥️
> 
> All my love - see you next Wednesday May 1st for a new post - in our #Choni epic. Follow me on Instagram - cheryl__marjorie_bombshell and tumblr cherriescroquetandarchery.
> 
> Always looking for my very own Toni. Interested?;)

_Our story is about a place, a town - seemingly like any other and the people who make our town a home. Surrounded by lush forests, lakes and our - Sweetwater River - that meanders down through the foothills in dappled delight. A small town like any other in America during that golden age of innocence._

_Riverdale, New York only became famous much later - in these earlier days - it was just the town with pep. A little town not far from the Canadian border. A small town with the manifestation of the wholesome, moral look - just an ordinary town stolen from a Norman Rockwell painting._

_But you'd be wrong - "get closer and you'll start seeing the shadows underneath" the shadows that built our little town of Riverdale._

_Drive down Main Street and over the train tracks beyond Pop's Chock Lit Shoppe. And bear witness as everything will slowly change. Gone will go the manicured lawns of a la - pleasantville giving way to the hardened streets of the Southside. The fractured embarrassment of the North riddled with gangs, drugs and violence._

_"Human beings will suffer the agonies, and their sad fates becoming legends poets write verses about. As playwrights compose dramas and the remembrance of past grief becomes only a memory and a source of present pleasure. Such is the strange alchemy of the spirit." As the great writer Upton Sinclair once said._

_Though it wasn't always this way - once the Southside looked very unlike the North. Before our town had sunk into purgatory - before murder and tragedy struck - we seemed sinless. We were a town of dreamers, wishing only to keep the shadows of the outside world away._

_But this story isn't that - "our story begins, I guess, with what the Blossom twins did this summer."_

Cheryl Blossom sat at the island in the spotless kitchen of Thornhill, her legs swinging high above the black and white tiled floor. She sipped her orange juice delicately - even at five - she already held the air of grace and royalty. As did all the Blossoms, the richest family in Riverdale.

The sun streamed through the curtains, it was still early on Saturday morning. Cheryl let her Mary-Janes tap against breakfast counter with delight. She loved the sound of her shoes, they sounded new to her. She hated she wasn't old enough for heels - but she pretended.

She smiled brightly as her twin brother skipped into the kitchen followed by her mother. His big bright eyes taking in the orange juice and his sister sitting like a princess. He grinned and climbed up beside her humming, some tune she couldn't recall.

"Good morning, mumsy" Cheryl chirped as she tossed her head letting her coppery ginger hair catch the light. She gave her mother a dazzling smile trying to garner a little affection from the matriarch of Thornhill.

"Cheryl" Penelope said with the distant clipped tone she used with her daughter. She gave her a half smile thinking it wasn't her fault her personality was nightmarish. It was their cursed ginger hair, although - Jason had none of the fire his older twin had. She sniffed giving Cheryl her best impression of impartiality. Penelope hated how superstitious she truly felt. It was like Cheryl was Satan's spawn.

Penelope, of course, made it no secret that she favoured her son over daughter.  
  
She'd been simply delighted when the doctor told her she'd be having twins five years ago. Now she wished she'd only delivered Jason. Cheryl was rash, thoughtless, uncontrollable, broke things - spilled things - and had an independence about her. It was unseemly, while Jason was thoughtful, tactful and malleable. He was the perfect Blossom and Cheryl wasn't.  She'd never be.

Cheryl looked down sadly, she didn't understand why her mother was so cold with her. She never struck her but she never hugged her either. She spoke to her with a kindness that was laced with ice.  It was like she was invisible, her mother simply didn't care - unless to raise her voice when Cheryl had done something unforgivable.

Once she'd done a painting in the solarium with Jason and dropped paint on the hardwood floor. Her mother had flown into a rage and screamed at her for the rest of the day. She'd been punished by being sent to her room without dinner.  The four year old had sat on her huge feather soft bed, tears streaming down her cheeks. _Why couldn't her mother love her?_

As she watched her mother hug Jason, pouring his orange juice into a clear juice cup - the glass ones. The ones she, Cheryl, wasn't allowed to use. She didn't feel jealousy - just sadness.  She turned to Jason who grabbed her hand and squeezed it.  He gave her a cheerful smile as though to say 'who cares - I love you.'

Cheryl smiled back. She loved her brother with all her heart - he was her only friend. Her only friend within the walls of Thornhill.

She looked longingly at the orange juice in his glass and he nodded to her. He always shared everything with her. She greedly took a sip and tasted the tartness on her tongue.

"Cheryl Marjorie Blossom!" shrieked Penelope as she looked up from her coffee.

Cheryl froze, tears emptying onto the cheeks - shuddering and dropping the cup. It fell to the floor and smashed with a resounding  crash. Juice splattering all over the white island and just missing Cheryl's dress by the sheer height she sat.

Penelope was on her in a second. Jason couldn't protect his sister - he watched as she struck Cheryl in the face.

She screamed, tears burning the bruise that was rising. He watched it all - like a movie,  he couldn't move - he was frozen in fear - he couldn't do anything.

His sister continued to cry as the housekeeper - Morgan came rushing in from the pantry with the broom. She glared at Penelope and shook her head sadly. She watched as Penelope sighed and returned to her chair.

"Clean this up Morgan" she waved her hand, airily. "And hurry I am taking the twins and Nana Rose Easter egg hunting at Pickens Park in an hour. Not that Cheryl deserves to go - after this" she fumes "but Nana Rose Blossom loves her so much and will give me an earful if I deny the child."

Morgan hurried to do her job. And then when Penelope wasn't looking she brought some ice from the freezer for Cheryl's cheek.  She gave her a little hug - Jason looking on  watched and felt a pang of nervousness. Morgan wouldn't last long if she continued to be kind to his sister. _It wasn't fair why did his mother hate his sister?_

Before Antoinette Topaz moved to the Southside of Riverdale - she lived in Albany.  She hadn't liked it at all, it was just an urban jungle and not enough trees and grass to play in.  She'd been delighted when her father and mother decided to move back to her father's birth place.

She'd watched as the road wound through the mountains as they drove through the sunshine. They crossed what her father called Sweetwater River with a clatter on the bridge.  She saw the sign 'Riverdale the town with pep' then further along the road 'America's Favorite Maple Syrup -Blossom Maple Farm - have some syrup with that ma'am!" Her dad had read a loud with some contempt dripping from his tongue.

Toni had frowned what was wrong with maple syrup. She loved maple syrup she had it on her pancakes every weekend.

"We won't be using any of that Antoinette," her mother had whispered to her only daughter.

Toni had watched as the sign receded  from view as they drove down the main street.  She looked at all the beautiful houses and wished they would live in something so nice.

When they'd crossed the train tracks they'd bumped along - into what her father had said was the Southside. He'd happily exclaimed he'd missed it - they passed a building that had motorcycles outside even at 11am.  He'd hardy been able to contain himself from stopping - Toni's mom had muttered something- _like are you crazy?_

Their new home was in SunnySide Trailer park, Toni found out later. She'd wished they'd have had a house - but she wasn't a picky child. She'd been only too excited to see grass and trees and be able to stay out pasted when the streetlights would go on.

And now she and her mother were headed for Pickens Park, they walked hand in hand - Toni holding her Easter basket in her little hand. They'd  only been in their new home a week and already she hoped to meet kids her own age.

She'd already met a lil boy named strangely Jughead - her dad had been happy when he turned up at their trailer with a man called FP. She found out he was Jughead's dad and his mom came too - but she couldn't remember her name.  Jughead had let her play with the dog that lived in the trailer park - Hotdog.  He was an old English Sheepdog looking hound - with big soulful eyes. Toni had taken to the dog with delight and often ran around during the day - playing fetch. 

Her mother laughed, reminding her daughter that in a few weeks she'd start school.  Toni would stop mid dash, give her mother a mischievous smile and run out of sight.

Pickens Park was a small park on the edge of the Southside, Toni found out as they walked in. It had streamers hanging from the trees and balloons hanging from a booth at the front.  Toni was happy she'd already brought her own basket.

She'd wished she could have brought Hotdog and Jughead but her mom said no. 

She watched as the other mothers shepherd their children into one side of the park - to wait. She stood excitedly on her toes - hopping from foot to foot.

Madelaine Topaz chuckled at her only daughter's actions and hugged her.

Cheryl stood beside her brother Jason and Nana Rose. She was impatient, her cheek still stung and she felt nervous. She was never around this many other children, she shivered - Jason took her hand.

"It's okay Cher" he said softly. "No one will bother you - I'm here." He gave her a gallant smile, he might not be able to protect his sister from their parents - but he could from everyone else, he promised himself.

Cheryl squeezed his hand and gave him her best brave smile.

"Are you both excited?" Nana Rose said softly to her grandchildren.

They nodded. They watched as their mother stepped up to the podium in front of the gazebo.

"Welcome Riverdale," she said with a air of superiority as she noticed exactly everyone standing in front of her.  "To the fifth annual Riverdale Easter egg hunt - sponsored by  Pop's Chock Lit Shoppe.  We'll be starting in a few minutes - when I ring this bell" she held it up "you'll be able to enter a designated area - behind me.  The Easter bunny hid plenty of eggs so no need to be impolite - regardless of your location."

Madeline scowled and Toni looked up at her mother confused. What did that woman mean - regardless of your location? And why was it upsetting her mom?

She shrugged and waited patiently for the bell, a slightly confused frown on her face.

All too soon, she heard the bell and she was running with the other children, her basket swinging from her hand - laughter hanging from her lips. 

Cheryl lost track of Jason in a panic.

"Jason!" she yelled above the screaming of the happy children. She had tears cascading down her cheeks.

She sat down by a oak tree and wept. Her basket sitting empty beside her bonnet thrown off on the grass. Lips as red as cherries Toni thought as she found her all alone.

She'd seen her standing beside a boy and older women earlier. But now here she was crying and her sympathetic heart couldn't bear it. She stopped her hunt for eggs and ventured closer and slowly sat beside her curiously.

"Hey? Are you okay?" she asked concerned.

Cheryl looked up and into the soft warm friendly brown eyes of a stranger. The tears drying on her cheeks by the breeze - she sat confused - _who was this girl?_

"No - I am really not" she whispered. "I lost my brother Jason."

Toni reached for her hand and squeezed it reassuringly. "Don't worry, I'll help you find him, my name is Antoinette" she said softly, "but I prefer Toni."

"My name is Cheryl, Toni'' she said trying to smile, she hiccuped as she tried to steady her breathing.

"Okay Cheryl - well why don't we look for some eggs together and I am sure we'll find..."

"JJ" Cheryl finished shyly.

"Right we'll find him."

Cheryl nodded and Toni helped to her feet. She held her hand gently and smiled at her kindly. 

"Alright, lets go!" she said cheerfully and lead Cheryl back toward where the other children were. Never letting go of her hand.

Cheryl had so much fun with Toni and they did find Jason. He was so happy and he hugged her lovingly. He thanked Toni for finding her and asked her to join them. So the Blossom twins and the future Southside Serpent joined forces.

Last names didn't mean anything to them. Southside - Northside - it didn't matter, it was a perfect morning for them.

Cheryl had a basket full of brightly coloured eggs. Jason's was almost as full but Toni's was only half full. She kept giving her eggs to the pretty girl she was fast getting attached to.

Cheryl and Toni were an unlikely team but they worked perfectly together.

When Cheryl tripped dropping one of the eggs, she was putting in Toni's basket and it broke -the yellow liquid spilling out - against the emerald grass.  Toni was sure she'd never seen grass that green - then when it was beside a drop of sunshine - such a contrast.

Cheryl began to cry a little- panicking looking at Toni. She cringed her eyes fearful and pained.

"Don't worry," Toni said laughing "it's just an egg. We can get another one Cheryl don't cry please." She grabbed the fearful girl in a protective hug. Jason watched and nodded kindly and smiled.

Cheryl slowly dried her tears when she felt Toni holding her tightly. Her cheeks burned - from embarrassment - she wasn't used to that level of kindness from a perfect stranger. Let alone anyone.

A soft shy smile on her cherry red lips, she took a pink egg from her basket and placed it in Toni's.

"Cheryl" Toni said blushing "how did you know pink was my favourite colour?"

The redhead shrugged but reached out to tuck a piece of Toni's hair behind her ear gently as Jason noticed their mother making her way over.

He froze in panic somehow he didn't think his mother looked happy.

Toni and Cheryl didn't notice as Toni went to hug Cheryl again.

"Cheryl Marjorie Blossom!"

 _Blossom?_ Toni thought... _like the Maple Sugar._..her heart sank.

Her father hated the Blossoms, she'd heard it enough - since they'd been here. If her father or mother realised who she'd been with - all morning. She stepped back shock written all over her face.  Cheryl looked terrified and hurt -  she almost hugged her anyway.

"Get away from my daughter!" Penelope Blossom yelled at Toni.

"Stop mumsy!" Cheryl pleaded , "she's my friend Antoinette" 

"Your friend?" she gave her daughter a dangerous look - "Cheryl don't be deviant - you're innocent and I intend to keep you that way. I won't have you friends with this Southside trash."

Jason looked on nauseated as he stepped in between his sister, Toni and his mother.  He wouldn't let his mother hit his sister.

Toni had tears in her eyes as she watched how Jason was protecting Cheryl and herself. Cheryl was crying and she wanted nothing more than to comfort her.

"Get out of here!" Penelope yelled at Toni who backed up slowly. "Don't let me catch you around my daughter again!"

Then Madelaine was there sheltering her daughter. "That's enough Penelope" she said with venom in her voice. "My daughter never hurt yours, in fact, maybe she's just what Cheryl needs. What they both need."

Cheryl looked into Toni's mom's eyes and saw only - kindness -and felt jealousy bubbling inside. Her own mother looked at her with only anger.

Penelope sniffed as she grabbed Cheryl so hard it hurt. She moaned in pain and as  Toni tried to reach stop it, but Madelaine pulled her back.  
  
"My daughter friends with a deviant and Southside scum, forget it."

Madelaine stiffened and Toni watched as Penelope dragged Cheryl away. She turned back her hand reaching out for Toni's - her eyes nothing but sadness.

The last glimpse she had of Cheryl - was her scarlet red hair in the afternoon sunshine. Jason gave Toni and her mother a sympathetic smile and rushed after his mom and twin.

Toni stood beside her mother all confused and tears drying on her cheeks.

It would be years before she saw Cheryl Blossom again. Time would have softened the memories as her youth made her all but forget the girl. The girl - she'd wished would have been her friend. A friend who would someday be so very much more.

It would be a cold, frigid afternoon in winter with Hotdog at her side - that Cheryl would crash back into her life. A moment that would forever change her -again- but that's another story.

 _ **(My Paper Heart)**_  

 

**Author's Note:**

> SPOILER ALERT - Also can we just take a moment to discuss last nights episode of Riverdale?! FEAR THE REAPER - If you haven't seen it don't read anymore. 
> 
> FROM MY TUMBRL /INSTAGRAM POST last night - 
> 
> "I just finished watching the new episode and if it wasn't for my father banging on my door, 'saying are okay,' I wouldn't have realised how loud I was screaming!!! I can vaguely remember something like a combination of 'run Betty and no my baby no no no Toni nooo! How could you?!' 
> 
> I'll be honest. I suspected something like this would happen. I mean everyone who has gone under cover, has been mindlessly assimilated. It's like a hive - the entire part with Betty standing there as Edgar (the yummy snack) tries to pull her in...as Toni is standing there with Cheryl, #Choni but omg crazy!  
> I'm sitting her screaming and thinking - Rosemary's baby a' la The Wickerman. I was terribly afraid this would happen! And a part of me, the hopeful part, is hoping that Toni's still in control of her mind. She just had to go SO deep under that this required her to betray Betty. Am I stupid? She had to show her loyaty to the Farm or she'd never get their trust. How else could she then save our beautiful Cheryl. 
> 
> I was so excited seeing Penelope going in guns basing to save her grand babies. But I'm left with acid in the back of my throat. Yes of course she only takes Jason Junior. Oy! And still my heart is pounding and think I've made my throat sore. I'm seeing red and my Choni heart is splintered. I've always thought of Toni as indestructible. She was Cheryl's protector and lover, her knight in leather. And I'm sick over the idea that she's lost her mind. This can't be true. 
> 
> Leaving me with the collective thought that magic is at the root of all this farm crazy. There's a supernatural legend that if one gives a certain story, belief and compete power it will then take on a mind of its own. A life of its own. And how else could Edgers followers be seeing dead people? If not that they've been able to do it by all his followers collective belief. And what about that Evelyn isn't his daughter and actually his wife? And that she's really twenty six and been pretending to be a junior for years? Oh my god gives a new twist on that movie Never Been Kissed.
> 
> I always knew they had a special selection process, obviously. And that's why Cheryl was indoctrinated, she had lost someone she loved JJ. And why Betty couldn't be swayed like everyone else. She needs, to lose everyone - to find her place in the farm. 
> 
> Alice lost Charlie's, this gives us all a clue that if Toni is completely taken by crazy, she too must have lost someone she loved. Toni back story please?! I'm not the only one who wants that obviously. I mean so does Vanessa Morgan. I maybe tackling this in my own fanfic but I'd love to see it on Riverdale. And so my theory is this, that with the collective use of all his blind followers Edgar can harness their will and Evelyn can build - something, terrible called the Gargoyle King. She's the bad cop he's the good, he might just not be evil at all. He might be under her thrall too. Toni said it best when she called her a bitch lol. By using all this belief the followers can see their dead love ones for SOME greater grand design. The evil one - might be Evelyn. She's definitely a witch. 
> 
> #EvelynEvernever Evelyn Evernever aka Evelyn Neverdie or Evelyn Everyoung - @emmaxmalfoy13 - is actually a #Shtiga aka a vampiric witch draining all the Farmies of their youth and life force. Hehe. 🙊🤦🏼♀️🤯 WHERE IS #buffythevampireslayer WHEN WE NEED HER? SOMEONE CALL #theWinchesters or #harveykinkle it's going down in #riverdale can can anyone say #hellmouth ?? ♥️♥️♥️
> 
> Heck, whenever someone had a seizure, Evelyn was there and what about Polly's floating twins. If this isn't a Coven in cults clothing - I don't know what is omg. Riverdale is right next to Greendale, who says they can't have magic and witchcraft too? And this would bridge the gap between Riverdale and the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina next season. Perfect. If this isn't magic I don't know what else it could be?! 
> 
> And I leave it with the farm killed Hall so that they can get Betty. They hope she'll want to join - to see her father. 
> 
> But oh Betty won't be that easily taken in."
> 
> \- CB♥️🍒


End file.
